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  • The Last Straw

  • DCI Warren Jone, Book 1
  • By: Paul Gitsham
  • Narrated by: Malk Williams
  • Length: 13 hrs
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (70 ratings)
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The Last Straw cover art

The Last Straw

By: Paul Gitsham
Narrated by: Malk Williams
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Summary

When Professor Alan Tunbridge is discovered in his office with his throat slashed, the suspects start queuing up. The brilliant but unpleasant microbiologist had a genius for making enemies.

For Warren Jones, newly appointed Detective Chief Inspector to the Middlesbury force, a high-profile murder is the ideal opportunity. He’s determined to run a thorough and professional investigation but political pressure to resolve the case quickly and tensions in the office and at home make life anything but easy.

Everything seems to point to one vengeful man but the financial potential of the professor’s pioneering research takes the inquiry in an intriguing and, for Jones and his team, dangerous direction.

©2014 Paul Gitsham (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about The Last Straw

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Nevertheless.......

Good new police series. Complicated investigation with some twists as well as human errors but clearly explained. Some humour too with interesting and likeable characters making up the detective team, as well as peripheral characters, in the fictional town of Middlebury. The author overused the word ‘nevertheless’ and I found myself counting them. More editing required perhaps. ‘Nevertheless’ the story held my interest throughout and the narration was excellent.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good start to a new series

What begins as a fairly standard story, new DCI, stroppy DI, and a murder, turns into a well developed and thoroughly convoluted mystery, I was totally enthralled with the characters, their development, and the development of the overall storyline, I was certainly kept guessing the whole way through.
Malk Williams does an great job with the narration too.
A most entertaining 13 hours and I'm now two hours into book 2 which is shaping up to be just as good.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story clouded by unnecessary padding

This is a well designed who, and indeed why done it. But my goodness tedious explanations of pasta and sauce and junior officers car only elongated not enhanced the tale or added atmosphere.
From my understanding a good editor would have helped .

Interesting insights, different background means personally will try another book which hopefully will be succinct without loosing nub of the story

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Easy listen

I quite enjoyed this, although I worked out whodunnit about halfway through which was a bit disappointing. The police characters were very well drawn. I will certainly give the second in the series a listen and see how I get on.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Very poor

Long winded and verbose a youngish DCi with an old mans voice awful accents and far to much repetition

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disapppointing

Slow paced and the characters lacked personality. Storyline was drawn out and could have been completed far more quockly.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Old fashioned but enjoyable

A curiously old fashioned sounding book, although it seems to be set in the present day. Reminded me of Midsummer Murders (with the new Barnaby). Nice, easy listen with likeable characters and reasonably good plot (although I did spot the final twist very early). No it doesn't set the world alight but if you like a non bloody thirsty who-dun-it then its certainly in the top half. My goodness though doesn't your heart go out to detectives - who (if there is any truth in it) seem to endlessly be bullied by superiors - and then at home by their wive who seem surprised they are not home at 5pm. Why they ever get married beats me! I'll certainly be downloading book 2 to see how the series progresses.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Had to send it back

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this book. I only got to chapter 6 before sending it back. it just didn't hold my attention at all. it says it all in the name!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great

Good start to a new series on to book two. Enjoyed the narrator who is new to me

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Enjoyable

Good storyline with an unusual twist, The new characters are likeable each with there own stoyline, this was woven into the story excellently Narration was super

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